


The Boy Who Breathed Bubbles

by wordsarelifealways



Category: SKAM (TV)
Genre: M/M, Sick Isak, Sickfic, Supportive Boyfriend Even
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-04
Updated: 2017-06-04
Packaged: 2018-11-08 22:38:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11091378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wordsarelifealways/pseuds/wordsarelifealways
Summary: It's the first Saturday that Even and Isak have both been off from work.  So of course Isak is sick.





	The Boy Who Breathed Bubbles

**Author's Note:**

> anon prompt on tumblr: Could you write something where isak or even has like the stomach flu or something and the other takes care of them? Thanks:)

For once, Even didn’t wake up to the sound of kids running around outside shouting to each other.

He would have considered it a victory if it weren’t for the way he _did_ wake up.

The first thing he was aware of was sweat clinging to the small of his back, one of his least favourite feelings in life.  He opened his eyes blearily to check if the window was open but instead found himself greeted with Isak’s sleep wild curls.  He smiled sleepily to himself, taking a moment to enjoy just lying in bed cosy next to his boyfriend, before shuffling closer to Isak and pressing a kiss to the back of his head.

Almost instantly Even could feel the heat coming off Isak.  It was more than the warmth of sleep radiating from him.  Even could feel sweat break out on his forehead just getting close to Isak.

“Isak?” He touched the backs of his fingers to Isak’s forehead and winced at the heat he found there.  He wiped the sweat from his fingers on the duvet without a second thought and sat up to properly look at Isak.

His eyes were fluttering quickly behind his closed lids, and for a few seconds Even wondered what his boyfriend dreamed of at night.  His skin looked too pale though, even for Isak’s standards, and in the early morning light Even could see all the sweat.

“Isak, baby,” Even shook Isak’s shoulder gently, trying to wake him, and jerked his hand back in shock when Isak made a wounded noise.  Even watched with wide eyes as Isak curled up tightly, shivers running through his skinny frame.

“Evyyyyyy,” Isak whined.  That’s when Even knew for sure that Isak wasn’t feeling well.  That pet name only seemed to come out when Isak was feeling vulnerable.

“I’m here, baby.” Even ran a hand through Isak’s damp curls, hoping it was comforting.

“Don’t feel good.” Isak groaned.

“What hurts?” Even kept stroking Isak’s hair, not sure what else to do.

“Stomach.” Isak pressed his face into the mattress miserably, one arm slung loosely over his stomach.

“I’m gonna go get you some water, okay?” Even dipped his head to kiss Isak’s burning temple and slid out of the bed before Isak could protest.  He hurried into the kitchen and quickly poured some water out of the jug they kept in the fridge in these hot months.

When Even went back to the bed Isak had kicked the duvet off and curled himself up into the tightest ball Even had ever seen a human of Isak’s size contort themselves into.

“You need to sit up, babe, I’ve got some water.” Even sat back on the bed carefully, but the dip in the mattress was enough to jostle Isak and he made a gagging sound that immediately filled Even with guilt.

“Sorry, Is.” He murmured, giving Isak’s hand a quick squeeze.

“S’okay.” Isak mumbled, his face still mashed into the mattress.  “Fridge water?” He asked a few seconds later, turning his head a little to look at Even.  His usually sharp green eyes were unfocused and clouded with fever.

“Of course!  Only the best in this house.” Even winked, relief rushing through him when Isak gave a weak smile.  Isak buried his face in the mattress again for a few seconds before groaning and sitting up gingerly, reaching out for the glass of water.  Even handed the glass over and watched as Isak sipped at it slowly, his face scrunched up.

It looked like the face Isak made when Even made a mushroom sauce and Isak couldn’t work out whether he liked it or not.

Isak drank about half the glass before handing it back to Even who promptly sat it on the floor so he could focus on Isak.

“How do you feel?” Even put the back of his fingers against the back of Isak’s neck and Isak whined at feeling of those chilled fingers pressed to his feverish skin.

“Sore.” Isak mumbled and Even rubbed his back sympathetically.  The next few seconds were a blur.

The moment Even’s hand connected with Isak’s back Isak’s entire torso lurched forwards and Isak frantically groped for the bin next to their bed, grabbing it just in time to throw the water he’d just drunk back up.

“Sorry, sorry!” Isak choked, still retching into the bin.

“Just get it all out, baby, it’s alright.” Even shook his head, making sure not to touch Isak’s back again.

That was how they spent the next half hour: Isak throwing up the measly contents of his stomach into their bin and Even wiping his face and neck with a cold cloth to try to stave off the fever.  Unfortunately even after he’d thrown up everything he had to throw up his body was still wracked with dry heaves, adamant that there was still something poisoning him that had to be expelled.

“Evvvvv,” Isak sounded exhausted and it broke Even’s heart.

“I’m right here.  You’re doing so good.” He dunked the cloth back in the cold water and then pressed it to the back of Isak’s neck, watching the cold droplets run down Isak’s back.  Isak had given up on clothes; his shirt and sweatpants had been tossed onto the floor and the duvet thrown back, leaving Isak sat in his boxers hugging the bin.

“Hurts.” Isak mumbled, touching his stomach gingerly.  Looking at Isak then reminded Even of when his little sister got appendicitis and he prayed to every deity he could think of that he wasn’t going to have to get Isak to a hospital before the day was out.

“I’m gonna go get the thermometer, Is, I’ll be right back.” Even pressed a kiss to Isak’s sweaty temple and Isak nodded miserably, seemingly resigned to his fate.  Even slid off the bed and went to the first aid kit (courtesy of Noora and Eskild, a moving in present) they kept in the kitchen, rummaging through it until he found the box of forehead thermometers.

He considered making Isak something to eat, just something plain, but he wasn’t sure if it was worth it for Isak to just throw it straight back up.  Maybe a bit later if he stopped dry heaving Even could make him something.

“Okay, baby, I’m just going to put this on your forehead, okay?” Even said as he eased himself back onto the bed, pulling one of the plastic strips out of the box.  Isak hummed tiredly, which Even took as a _yeah go ahead_ , and carefully applied the strip to Isak’s hot skin.

It wasn’t the easiest task in the world.  Isak’s forehead was slick with sweat, so every time he shook with chills or his body made aborted retching movements the little plastic strip would slip in the sweat no matter how carefully Even kept it pressed on.

The colours lit up quickly, much to Even’s dismay, stopping just shy of 38°.

“Shit, Isak, we need to cool you down.” Even tossed the strip aside and cupped Isak’s cheek gently to get him to look at him.  Isak’s eyes were glazed over and drooping shut and Even felt bad that he couldn’t let Isak sleep yet.

“Isak, we need to cool you down.” Even repeated.  “I’m going to run a bath, I’ll be right back.” Just as he was about to turn to go he reconsidered and gently took the bin from Isak’s loose grip.  He brought it into the bathroom with him and emptied the contents down the toilet, flushing it all away before rinsing out the little bin in the sink.

He tossed the empty bin out into the hallway and started running a bath.  He kept the water cool, but not cold, and poured a generous amount of the bubble bath Eskild had gifted them.

When Even went back to get Isak, he found him slumped over the side of the bed and Even’s heart almost stopped.

“Isak?!” He darted over and pulled Isak back onto the mattress, almost sagging with relief when he saw that Isak was just asleep.  “Fucking hell.” He muttered to himself, his hand covering his heart.

Even’s nerves were fried.  He hated when Isak got sick.

“Issy, baby, wake up.” He manoeuvred Isak into a sitting position, wincing when he touched Isak’s back and Isak whimpered against his shoulder.

“Even?” Isak sounded confused.  _No surprise there,_ Even thought, _considering he was close to the sort of fever that made people’s brains melt out of their ears_.

“I’ve got you, handsome.  I’ve run a bath, you’ll feel a lot better when we cool you down and get all this sweat off you.” Even promised.  Isak just latched himself onto Even like a koala, wrapping his arms around Even’s neck and his shaking legs around Even’s waist.

“You want me to carry you?” Even teased as Isak rested his flushed cheek on Even’s shoulder.  “Good thing I’d do anything for my baby, huh?” Even rolled his eyes, hoisting Isak up and carrying him into the bathroom.  He set Isak down on the toilet seat and slid his boxers off for him before helping him get into the tub.  Isak’s stomach must have been incredibly painful considering the way he could hardly stand, crumpling into Even as soon as he tried to stand up.

Once Even had safely deposited Isak into the cool water he was a man on a mission.  He put the bin back by the bed, he stripped the sweat soaked sheets off the bed and put them and Isak’s discarded clothes in the laundry hamper ready to be washed.  He was thinking about disinfecting the bin when he heard a commotion from the bathroom.

Even didn’t think he’d ever moved as quickly as he did then.

He skidded into the bathroom and found Isak sat up spluttering, his hair matted to his head and his eyes wide.  Even was relieved to see Isak’s eyes looking clearer.

“What happened?” He asked as he closed the bathroom door behind himself.

“I- I think I fell asleep.” Isak spluttered.  “I woke up because I couldn’t breathe.” Isak coughed again, eyes widening when a bubble came out.

For a few seconds Even and Isak stared at each other in surprise, the bubble floating innocently between them, before they both broke out laughing when the bubble popped.

“I thought that only happened in cartoons!” Isak laughed.  His voice was hoarse from his near miss with drowning after a morning of vomiting, but it was like music to Even’s ears.

“So did I!” Even knelt next to the bath and smoothed Isak’s wet hair away from his forehead.  Isak leaned into the touch tiredly.

“How are you feeling, baby?” Even murmured, stroking Isak’s cheek gently.  Just to the touch he felt considerably less hot, which Even hoped was a good thing.

“Better.” Isak nodded.  “My stomach still kinda hurts, and my head, but I don’t feel so gross.” He moved his hands aimlessly through the cool water before he went suspiciously still.

Before Even could even ask what was wrong Isak had scooped up a mountain of bubbles and covered the lower half of Even’s face with them.  Isak looked at him for a few seconds, sizing up his work, before laughing again as Even spluttered out a protest.

“Well, good to see _someone_ feels better!” Even spluttered.  “ _I_ have aged about twenty years today, young man!”

“I can tell.” Isak nodded, trying not to laugh.  “I mean, look how white your beard went.” Isak cracked up at his own joke and Even rolled his eyes, wiping off the beard.

“Ha ha.” He splashed some of the water at Isak, enjoying watching his boy squirm.  “C’mon, let’s get you back out seeing as I can’t leave you alone for a few minutes without you almost drowning.” Even teased, grabbing the towel from the railing and holding his arms out to Isak.

Isak managed to stand on his own this time, getting out of the bath carefully and stepping into Even’s arms.  Even wrapped his arms around Isak, bundling him in the towel, and rocked him slowly from side to side.

“I was worried I’d have to call an ambulance for a minute there.” Even murmured into Isak’s damp hair, planting a kiss just over Isak’s ear.  Isak didn’t say anything, but he burrowed closer to Even.  They stood like that for a few minutes, wrapped up in each other while Isak dripped onto the floor.

Even snapped out of it first, realising that Isak needed to get dry or he’d definitely get sick.  He dried Isak off gently and got him dressed in some lighter sweatpants and one of Even’s bigger shirts.

They spent the rest of the day on the stripped bed, watching whatever was on Netflix.  Except neither of them were really watching whatever was on the screen.  Isak was dozing on and off, his body exhausted, and Even was watching Isak like a hawk.

They spent most of the afternoon like that: Isak curled up against Even’s chest dozing and Even staring at him.  Occasionally he’d stroke Isak’s curls, or check his forehead to see if the fever was coming back, or thread his fingers through Isak’s, or press a kiss to wherever he could reach.

The only time they moved was when it got to about 6PM and Isak stirred awake and Even insisted that Isak eat something even though he didn’t feel hungry.

 _“I’m not hungry, Ev!”_ Isak had whined.

_“You have nothing left inside you, Isak; you’re having something to eat.”_

So Even made them both some toast – nothing too exciting for Isak’s poor stomach – and they sat up together slowly munching through it.  Isak made it through one slice, forcing down the last swallow, before he said he couldn’t eat any more and lay back down.

Even took their plates back to the kitchen, binning Isak’s untouched slice of toast, before going back and gathering his worn out boyfriend up into his arms.  Isak burrowed closer, his fingers loosely tangling themselves in Even’s shirt.

“Thank you.” Isak sighed, tucking his head under Even’s chin.

“Hmm?” Even ran his fingers gently up and down Isak’s back, glad to see that the pain seemed to have subsided.

“For looking after me.” Isak buried his face in Even’s chest, embarrassed.

“That’s what you do for the people you love.” Even shrugged, thinking of all the times his parents had done the same for him and all the ways Isak looked after _him._

He forgot, sometimes, that Isak didn’t have the same experience of family.  That to Isak, family didn’t necessarily mean people looking after you when you got sick.

“I love you so much, baby.  I’ll always look after you.”


End file.
